Sunday, August 2, 2015

8/1/15 Geneva on the Lake, OH to Erie, PA

Ron checked the weather and this was the only day for the next six that looked good. We departed at 0600. The seas were beamy the entire way (6 hours), but at least the waves stayed in the 3 foot range. Our destination, Presque Isle State Park Marina, is on a peninsula across from Erie, Pa. It took about 45 minutes to get from Lake Erie into the park. We had made reservations yesterday for a slip. When we pulled into this very large marina, we called the gas dock and they said, "We don't make reservations here at the gas dock. You need to talk to the reservation system."
I said, "Could you give me that number?"
Dock hand, "I have no idea what it is".

We decided to pull up to the dock and get a pump-out and possibly some better information.
The pump-out dock was attached to the main dock and was constructed of two very rickety docks hinged together. I was walking sideways looking at the lines to make sure they were secure and I stepped between the docks and my leg slid completely into the water, scraping both side of my leg as it went down. My main concern was my "artificial knee". Fortunately I only had some abrasions and a large bruise. If someone had stepped anywhere near the hinges, my leg probably would have been crushed or broken. God was watching out for me!

The man working the dock sent Ron up to another building...apparently to see the reservationist. The person working there said, "There must be some mistake. We don't have room for your boat". We had been told yesterday that we would be in a 38 foot slip and they had taken our credit card information. So much for a reservation.

We quickly made some phone calls and found another marina across the bay behind the Sheraton Hotel. It is a very sheltered harbor and convenient to downtown. We will be renting a truck in a few days so that we can pick up the Bimini that we ordered in Traverse City. Shipment was delayed for several weeks, so we are meeting the truck on I-80 as it passes here to deliver a boat to Long Island. Ron has had lots of planning to do to make this happen. Jay Kraft at Bay Breese Yacht Sales has been a great help in getting this Bimini to us.

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Welcome to the travels of Tug Adagio & RV Adagietto!

Adagio is a musical tempo meaning "slow and easy". Adagietto is just a little faster. That is how we see ourselves cruising North America's Great Loop & Scenic Byways. We plan to take time for side trips and longer stops in interesting ports along the way.

Profile: Jan and Ron recently retired -- looking for adventure. Duke along for the ride.

We started the "Great Loop" when we picked up our new Nordic Tug 34 in Traverse City MI, in late August 2011. Almost three years later we "crossed our wake" on Traverse Bay. We will continue to cruise on Adagio.